ABSTRACT
The term creative indifference is misleading as it suggests a lack of care but more accurately describes a process where the therapist disinvests in a particular outcome. Creative indifference is an essential attitude in practicing the gestalt approach. Holding such a therapeutic stance means that the therapist surrenders to the between of the relationship and in doing so equalises the relationship between client and therapist. Fritz Perls was greatly impacted by Friedlaender’s concept of creative indifference which dovetailed well with Perls’ interest in Zen Buddhism and Eastern philosophies as it involves both the therapist and client facing the existential uncertainty of the unknown. As creative indifference has the effect of absorbing the polarity, it offers the client the opportunity to know their situation in a new and expanded way for the first time, beginning that ‘knowing’ from a void rather than the familiar.
